Bill Belichick the Motivator

Inspires players on and off field

Credit: Ted Fitzgerald

WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK: Pats coach Bill Belichick has drawn praise from his players and opposing coaches alike for his success over the years.

FOXBORO — Andre Carter said he’s played for “five or six head coaches” during his 11 years in the NFL. The defensive end has been a Patriot for a only a few weeks, but it didn’t take long for him to see a difference between Bill Belichick and all of the others.

After only a dozen practices and a pair of preseason games, Carter gets the fuss about the Patriots coach.

“By far, I see why he’s successful. I see why he’s definitely an X’s and O’s guy,” Carter said yesterday after practice. “From special teams to position meetings, to just detail in general, I’ve never seen a coach so hands-on.

“But it’s great,” Carter continued. “He takes pride in his job. He takes pride in his craft. He also wants to see the players on his team, whether it’s the 90-man roster in training camp or the 53-man roster, prepare themselves for a great game week after week after week.”

On Wednesday night, Belichick helped the team get ready for tomorrow’s third preseason game with Detroit, and provide a bit of a pick-me-up after a tough first month of training camp. He traded in the usual uninspiring daily film session for movie night. He treated the players to popcorn, Gatorade and “The Fighter.” As an added bonus, Belichick had local legend Micky Ward, the boxer the movie was based on, come in and speak with the players.

The movie, the message, Ward’s presence, all seemed to hit the spot.

“Just seeing the trials and tribulations that Micky Ward went through. It just shows you physically and mentally you can push yourself to levels you think you may not be able to push yourself to,” said safety James Sanders.

“I think it was just (Belichick) sending a message to the team: It’s training camp, things aren’t always going right. You’ve just got to be mentally and physically tough. Push yourself through as much as you can.”

The year the Patriots won their first Super Bowl, Belichick also took the team to the movies during training camp. That year, they saw “Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure,” the story of 28 men working together to overcome numerous obstacles to survive the nearly two years they were stranded in the Antarctic.

He’s also shown the team a few prize fights during his decade in New England. Before a game against the Atlanta Falcons in October of 2005, he had the Patriots view a tape of what’s considered the greatest eight minutes in boxing history — the ferocious three rounds of pounding staged in a championship fight between Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns in 1985, eventually won by Hagler.

And yes, the Patriots did beat the Falcons that Sunday.

So coaching isn’t always just about X’s and O’s, and deciding who stays and who goes. It’s knowing when to put on the breaks, hit the recharge button, and provide some kind of boost to help forge on. It’s knowing how to motivate and inspire, and sometimes going outside the box to do so.

Rex Ryan may have had his fingers crossed behind his back. But for the sake of argument, let’s assume the Jets coach meant it when he said Belichick was the “best coach in the game.”

And it wasn’t even close.

“You know, it’s wild. Every coach has his own way of doing things, and coach Belichick certainly has his,” said recently signed safety James Ihedigbo. “You get into the dog days of camp, do little things here and there to break up the routine, so guys get rejuvenated and ready to continue to work. (With the movie), coach Belichick was just trying to find that spark and motivation.”

Ihedigbo, of course, played for Ryan the past few years. The UMass product considers both great motivators in their own way. Ihedigbo mentioned Ryan bringing in former Jet Dennis Byrd, the defensive end who was temporarily paralyzed, the night before last season’s playoff game with the Patriots, which the Jets won. Byrd provided a powerful message.

“When you get to see someone like Dennis Byrd, who went through so much,” said Ihedigbo, “with all the hardships and adversity and being able to fight through that to get a positive outcome, it’s pretty awesome.”

We’ll see how the Patriots respond to Ward’s speech. We’ll see if Belichick dropped in the movie and fighter’s appearance at the right time. Great coaches usually don’t mess up their timing.